Rifle for elk hunting

[Billy Goat]

 

[RevJim]

It's all in good fun. If new to hunting elk, the 30-06/180gr bullet is your huckleberry. If you just have to have a magnum, the 7mm Rem Mag and 160-175gr bullets is the easiest one to shoot well. 3x9scope.

 

[sodaksooner]

300wm here. I have a 1903 (30-06) Springfield that my grandfather sporterized that I would love to take out at some point. It still shoots really well for being 80 years old

 

[Tmac]

Cartridges I’ve used for elk include 25-06, 260, 270Win, 7mm-08, 280Rem and 30-06. Bullets were 115 gr. to 180 gr. of many types. All worked well. A .243 caliber bullet is the legal minimum where I mostly hunt. I will soon shoot a 6mmARC for elk with 103-108 gr. bullets most likely, it will also work well. Larger cartridges also work well, but not for me as I hate recoil. “Deer” rifles work well for elk when employed correctly. That means shooting no further than your capabilities or the bullets minimum expansion velocity, whichever is less.

The key is your ability to place an elk capable bullet in the right spot with adequate velocity. 270Win and 280Rem get the most use from me and my group. A 100 gr. 243Win bullet in the vitals is lethal fast, a 180 gr. bullet in the guts from a 300 mag of some sort you don’t shoot well is a problem. I have a buddy that shoots a 340 Weatherby well, I’m afraid of it. We both kill elk often.

An outfitter I know prefers new elk hunters use a 243Win because they can shoot it accurately. He keeps ranges moderate, usually under 250 yards, does mostly cow elk damage type hunts. He says most shoot once, the elk trots off a bit, then falls over. He has very few wounded elk tracking jobs.

To a degree it is a Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, etc argument. Pick something you will shoot well and will shoot a lot from field positions. Another good plan is to shoot a “training” rifle often and your main elk rifle less. There are thousands of opinions on the matter, poke around some, and good luck.

 

[Ringbill27]

To a degree it is a Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, etc argument. Pick something you will shoot well and will shoot a lot from field positions. Another good plan is to shoot a “training” rifle often and your main elk rifle less. There are thousands of opinions on the matter, poke around some, and good luck.

Well said. I’ve always been a bit baffled when those you suggest cartridges like 243 and 7mm08 as being adequate for youth hunters but An adult hunter is always pointed to more powerful cartridges. Why with age does a cartridge get considered less powerful/accurate?

I’d say those “youth cartridges” would be even better in the hands of an adult. Especially since most adult have no business shooting to and/or the effective range of the “youth cartridges”.

Granted I hunt with 7.62x39 to 30-06. I do understand the benefits of bigger cartridges.

Sorry for rambling.

 

[Houseminer]

I would likely look for a good used 30-06 from a place like Cabelas. You can probably find a like new Model 70 Winchester under budget and leave a few dollars in your bank account for that scope or some other accessory.

 

[IDVortex]

7prc with a can.

 

[Tmac]

Well said. I’ve always been a bit baffled when those you suggest cartridges like 243 and 7mm08 as being adequate for youth hunters but An adult hunter is always pointed to more powerful cartridges. Why with age does a cartridge get considered less powerful/accurate?

I’d say those “youth cartridges” would be even better in the hands of an adult. Especially since most adult have no business shooting to and/or the effective range of the “youth cartridges”.

Granted I hunt with 7.62x39 to 30-06. I do understand the benefits of bigger cartridges.

Sorry for rambling.

Don’t know why that happens. Possibly compensating for a lack of understanding of terminal ballistics, so bigger must be better? Often times the louder the voice or stronger the opinion, the weaker the argument. Two of my fastest elk kills were from a 115 gr. Ballistic Tip out of a 25-06 and a 175 gr. Partition from a 280 Rem. You would have been hard pressed to say which was which based on entrance, body cavity appearance or exits.

Let’s just use 650 pounds for conversation, or about 4,550,000 grains. A 100 gr. bullet is very very very small in relation to an animal that size, news flash, so is a 250 gr. bullet. We are talking about very small projectiles in relation to body size. Means to me that placement and bullet construction are more important than the size of the projectile. So that’s where I and many others focus. Place a decent bullet properly within its velocity window and stuff dies fast, grains matter little within reason.

 

[7LRM]

always 300 wm

 

[THellURider]

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[hunting1]

308/30-06/300(WSM,300MAG, 7-08, 280AI, 7MM..... Pick the rifle you like. I prefer short actions myself.

 

[RevJim]

I have a good friend who uses a 240 Wby and the 100gr Hornady BTSP on bull elk. I have another that used the 6mm Remington/100gr factory Corlokts. I ran into two brothers who used the early Barnes 100gr X bullet in their 243s/ Another friend uses his 25-06/100-120 and "most" of the 270 users shoot the 130 on elk but prefer the Sierra 110 PH on mule deer/antelope! ha I talked with a fellow in Boseman other day that shoots/plays with 7mm Mashburns, but uses the 22-250 on cow elk, ha.

 

[Miflatlander91]

Have a 300 win mag 30-06 6.5 creedmoor but really leaning to taking the 22 creedmoor on my elk hunt this year after all this is rokslide


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[MatukaJoe]

Listen to shoot2hunt

 

[Muleychaser28]

Tikka T3x in 30-06, oldy but goody!

 

[LonePeak]

7mm RM/PRC or 30-06

 

[Hunter270Win]

Well said. I’ve always been a bit baffled when those you suggest cartridges like 243 and 7mm08 as being adequate for youth hunters but An adult hunter is always pointed to more powerful cartridges. Why with age does a cartridge get considered less powerful/accurate?

I’d say those “youth cartridges” would be even better in the hands of an adult. Especially since most adult have no business shooting to and/or the effective range of the “youth cartridges”.

Granted I hunt with 7.62x39 to 30-06. I do understand the benefits of bigger cartridges.

Sorry for rambling.

Really good point… There is no such thing as a youth or beginner cartridge/caliber. It just sounds like marketing or something.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

30-06 with a good silencer.

 

[CRJR45]

Serious Elk hunters only shoot 28 Nosler ! And I just happen to have one for sale .

 

[Ringbill27]

30-06 with a good silencer.

That’s may plan!